In need of Help
by Sephron
Summary: Second movie+ Logan finds Ardelle in Canada and takes her to Xaviers school. The problem? Ardelle's in an orange prision suit and she doesn't remember what she did to draw attention to herself and her powers. Why is she blocking it out? R&R if you please
1. Default Chapter

Help!

Entries for shady characters

Smoke rose steadily. The night stars glittered brightly against the snow that evenly coated the ground, only a half a foot deep. Through the smog of concrete dust a grim figure quickly emerged. The running girl in her orange jumper made her way through the snow with as much speed as she could without falling. Sirens screamed in the air around her as spotlights struck the ground everywhere, trying to find the briskly escaping blond. Her brown boots sunk into the snow with the satisfying _crunch_ of snow. Her footprints were noticeable with the shadows cast upon them from the lights that streamed like shooting stars across the glittering white along the land. 

Her green eyes scanned to the surrounding trees. The girls from the prison had rumored about snipers that could hide in trees unnoticed until it was too late for the escapee. Not seeing anyone she plunged into the thin forest of evergreens. 

* * *

The sun was dull, hidden by the thick blanket of clouds that hung over the sky. Trees gently held snow, until the girls' arm would brush against them and send it tumbling to the ground. The forest that had gotten thicker as the night went on now broke as a black paved road emerged from it. 

"A road." She said, her hot breath making clouds in the cold air. She looked from left to right as she stood in the middle of the paved river. A soft rumbling noise came from her right, and she turned her head in the direction. It became louder, and as the thought came to her she realized it was a vehicle of some sort. The motorcycle came around a bend in the road quickly, it's driver gripping the handles as it zoomed closer. She gasped as it came closer and dove out of the way, rolling down the hill of the other side of the street. 

She pushed herself up and looked around. The motor noise had died, and as she gazed up the hill the figure that had been on the bike came to view. His black hair came to tips along the sides of his head. "Are you all right?" His voice echoed down. 

"I'm fine." She called, and stood shakily. He waited as she made her way up. 

"You injured?" He asked as the blond revolved her wrist around.

"May have sprained my wrist." She decided. "But otherwise yes." She looked to him. "I'm Ardelle." She introduced herself. 

The man raised an eyebrow before holding out his hand. "Logan." He said as she shook it. Ardelle looked to the bike behind him. 

"Um, would you mind…?" She asked, and he looked behind him to see what she was watching. He looked back to her with a questioning gaze. "I need to get away from here." She explained. 

He looked to her and her grim figure. Her face had a few streaks of mud running across it. His eyes fell her to her bright orange uniform and her number stitched into the left shoulder, 92426. "Are you from the Sampson prison?" He asked. She nodded. He took a step back. "I can't help a fugitive." He said.

"I'm not!" She stepped forward. "I mean, not in the sense that I did anything." She said. "It's—it's not for druggies anymore… it's for mutants…" She said, explaining, watching him for a change of expression to show through at all. 

"You're a mutant?" He asked. She nodded once again. "Do your parents know?" He asked. 

Ardelle shook her head again. "They think that I was taken for holding drugs, like most other people that were there would have. Except now they've changed it. They built a new prison, and are keeping mutants in Sampson." She explained. When he nodded a thought came to her. "Are you a mutant?" She asked. He looked at her and nodded after a moment. "Then can you help me?" She asked hopefully. "I need somewhere to go, since I can't return home." She looked to her jumper. "Well… not in clothes like these that is." She wafted her hand to her outfit. "If you managed to recognize them I'm sure my parents would be able to as well." 

He thought for a moment as she watched him again. "Yeah, I can help you." He said. 

She grinned. "Thank you so much." She said. 

'_Why is it always in Canada that I end up finding girls in need of help?'_ Thought to himself. "Well, come on then." He walked back over to his bike and handed her a helmet. "Here. You'll need this." He said. 

She blinked a little nervously at him before putting it on her head. He smacked it down to be sure it was on all the way. "Ow." She said, readjusting it. He sat down and put the kickstand up as Ardelle took her place behind him and reached onto Logan's waist. He kicked up the engine and they sped off along the road.

* * *

Ardelle looked around nervously as Logan pulled up to a mansion looking building and slowed. "Where are we?" She asked. 

"Charles Xavier's school for the gifted." Logan said. 

"The gifted?" she asked as they came to a stop. 

"Mutants. It's a school for mutants." He explained as he put down the kickstand and got off. Ardelle slid off her helmet and got up, placing it on the seat where she had just been. 

"Will they allow me to be here?" She asked. 

"Xavier accepts anyone, unless they're evil." Logan said with a slight smile in her direction. "Are you evil?" He asked, to which Ardelle violently shook her head. He smiled. "This way." He instructed as he leapt up the stairs of the enormous building, followed quickly by Ardelle. 

As soon as they entered the building a girl rounded a corner and threw her arms around Logan's neck. She had brown hair, accept for two white strips made up of her bangs, with black gloves that reached up to her elbows. She spotted Ardelle and pulled away. 

"Who's this?" She asked, referring to the girl that had come in with her brunettes' friend. 

Logan turned to Ardelle. "Ah, Rouge this is Ardelle. Ardelle," Logan turned to Rouge, "Rouge." He introduced. 

"Nice to meet you." Ardelle said, holding out her hand. Rouge nodded as she accepted it and they gave each other a quick handshake. A boy with blond hair in a denim jacket came around the corner Rouge had first emerged from. 

"Rouge." He said. 

"Oh, Logan this is my—" Rouge started. 

"Her boyfriend, Bobby." The blond boy said grasping Logan's hand. "But some call me iceman." Ardelle watched as frost began to form upon both of their hands. She opened her mouth with surprise and let a smile form upon her lips. 

"Boyfriend huh?" Logan asked. They nodded. "So, how do you, uh—" He began.

Bobby and Rouge looked at each other. "Well, we're still working on that." Bobby finally stated. 

Logan nodded. "This is Ardelle, Bobby." He introduced Ardelle again. 

"A pleasure." Ardelle said grinning. She had met plenty of mutants before, but never really seen any of them use their powers as she had seen Bobby. The sight, although brief and easy, gave her hope of acceptance. 

"Same." He said as they shook hands. His eyes landed on her outfit. "So, uh, where are you from?" He asked. 

"Canada." Ardelle said. 

"Is it normal to wear that kind of clothing where you're from?" Rouge asked innocently. 

Ardelle ignored the disguised mocking tone that came to in her voice. "It is when there's a dress code." She said easily. Bobby raised an eyebrow at her response.

"Why don't you kids take Ardelle to see the professor. We need to find if she can stay." Logan suggested. 

"Sure." They agreed. "Come on, this way." Bobby grabbed Rouge's hand and pulled her away. Ardelle followed, not wanting to become lost. 

"Thanks Logan." She called and watched as he gave her a small two fingered wave as an African-American woman with white hair descended from the steps, greeting Logan. She turned back to Bobby and Rouge. "So, is everyone here a mutant?" She asked. 

"Yeah. Everyone. Even the teachers." Bobby explained. Ardelle smiled. They walked down the corridors and made their way to the professors' room. "Professor?" Bobby poked his head into a room looking out onto a terrace of trees and flat plains. 

"Yes, Bobby?" He asked, turning from the window to look at them. 

"Logan brought us a possible new student." Rouge explained as they entered the room. 

"Ah, well, let me see her." He said. Ardelle stepped forward, looking to him. Her brain began to work without thinking. It felt as though the something was moving around in her mind, or the room was moving, or something invisible was moving around the room, and she could feel it. She blinked twice, looking to the ground and to the room around her, trying to find it. Something was different, something was going on. 

"Wha--?" She asked, looking back to the professor as she raised a hand to her temple. Suddenly it stopped. "What did you just do?" She asked. He raised his eyebrows innocently, as though he didn't know what she was talking about. She looked to the bald man in the chair and concentrated, having a hunch that he had just sifted through her mind looking for something to tell him if she was trustworthy or not. 

Visions came to her mind of him standing, walking with another man, aging with white hair. Students from the school walked around and sat in a circle around him. The professor was talking with a man who had dark brown hair and red sunglasses on. '_Cyclops'_ the name came to her mind. 

She stopped and took a deep breath. "Amazing…" She said, a smile beginning to form on her face. The Professor Xavier looked to her, something shinning in his eyes, which Ardelle couldn't place. 

"Just what is your mutant power?" he asked. 

Ardelle shook her head. "I'm not sure, but… it seems that whenever someone uses a power against me, or on me, I adapt to it and take it up as one of my own." She thought. 

"Oh?" Bobby asked. "Let me see." He reached out and placed two fingers on her arm, sending frost onto it and shivers erupting through her body. When he pulled away she turned to him and placed her hand on his and concentrated. 

Nothing happened. 

"Hmm." She thought. 

"What else happened to make you think you could adapt to others powers?" Professor Xavier asked. 

"One of the girls from… from my dorm –" She covered "showed me her telekinetic power, by making her pillow float around, before making it come hit me." 

"And have you tried using it?" Rouge asked. Ardelle nodded and concentrated on a pencil on the Professors desk. She made it float up and begin to spin around as it levitated towards her, and she grasped her hand around it. 

"Interesting." The Professor said. "Well, I think it would be a good idea for you to stay here, until we learn more about your power, and what extent it can go to." He decided. "Rouge, if you will please take her to the women's dorm room six, I believe bed number four is empty there. And take her to see Professor Gray, for she will need a schedule." He said. 

"Thank you Professor Xavier." Ardelle said happily. 

"Professor X will do just fine, thank you Ardelle." He said. She grinned and followed Rouge as she led the way to the dormitories. 

* * *

Authors Note: Hello all! My first X-men fanfic, I don't know how it's going to blow over, but I'm hoping for the best! Please review! Criticism is all right as well, always looking for a way to get better at writing! And don't worry, Ardelle isn't going to become a hyper goddess. Review if you please! 

Sephron


	2. Character entries

Help! Part 2

Valued Introduction

"Here, you can wear these." Rouge held up a pair of plain blue jeans and a back t-shirt. "If we're the same size then they should fit." She stated.

"Thanks Rouge." Ardelle said as she accepted them. "Uh, where can I change?" She asked.

"Oh," Rouge smiled lightly. "There's a bathroom right in there." She pointed, her accent coming in pretty thickly. Ardelle looked to where the brunet had pointed and walked to the small room, closing the door. Rouge came to stand by it and leaned against the frame of the door, her harms crossed over her chest. 

"So, what's your mutant power Rouge?" Ardelle's voice came through the door.

"Well… It's a little complicated. If I touch someone I can absorb their life energy – and their memories." She said, a hand coming up to brush one of the white strands of hair that had escaped and slid before her face. "That's why I have to wear these gloves, is because is has to happen through skin contact." 

"I see." Ardelle said. A sudden thump came from the bathroom. "Ow!" Her voice escaped. "I'm okay!" She said as soon as she could. 

Rouge laughed. "What did you do?" She asked. 

"I uh—I kinda tripped while pulling on the jeans and stubbed my toe." She said. 

Rouge smiled, but it quickly faded away. "Hey, Ardelle, where did Logan find you?" She asked. 

"I –" She paused to clear her throat. "I was … uh…" She opened the door. "This is going to take a while to explain." She said, looking Rouge in the eyes.

"Why?" She asked.

"Well… it's a little complicated, as you say." Ardelle said, referring back to Rouge's word choice. When Rouge didn't respond Ardelle sighed and stepped from the bathroom, dressed in her borrowed clothes. "I escaped from a prison, used for holding mutants. It was once used for keeping juvenile kids who had been caught in possession of drugs, but they changed it. They – don't as me who they are, I'm not quite sure—but they build another prison. The new prison is a secret though, everyone still believes that dealers and users still go to Sampson, where they did before. But now…" Ardelle shook her head.

"So," She continued on, "I escaped with some friends. We got separated though, I don't know if they made it out. I hope they did. But I kept going, like we all agreed that we would if we were split up. And I came to the road that Logan was driving on. He nearly ran me over actually." Ardelle gave a light chuckle at that. "Anyway, I told him all about the prison changes, because he still knew it as a place for drug addicts. And he said he'd help me. He brought me here." She said. 

Rouge nodded. "…Do you like Logan?" She asked. 

A sly smile fell across Ardelle's face. "You mean, _like_ him?" Ardelle asked, and when Rouge nodded she smiled. "Nope. I figured you did, considering the look on your face when you saw me." She said. 

Rouge shook her head. "I don't like him like that. It's just, he helped me the same way he helped you... only not quite." She said. "So I just wanna look after him a little, you know? And anyway, who knows what kind of treacherous fiend you were hiding within yourself!" 

She and Ardelle laughed a little at that, but something in Ardelle flipped as the words replayed themselves in her mind. 'Treacherous fiend.' When had she heard those before? As she laughed she tried to remember, but couldn't, and had a feeling she didn't want to. 

"Well, let's get you to Professor Gray, shall we?" Rouge introduced. Ardelle nodded and they made their way out the room and down the hall. 

* * *

"Professor Gray?" Rouge knocked on the large oak door. The sound of the bashing of Rouge's knuckles on the wood echoed around the hall they were in. 

"Yes Rouge?" A voice came through. 

"Professor X wants you to meet a new student." Rouge said as the 'click' of the door opening sounded and light streamed through the crack between the door and the frame that was quickly getting larger. 

A woman with red hair wearing black slacks and a blue v-neck t-shirt emerged through the bright light of her room. "Hello there." She said easily, as she looked at Ardelle. "I'm Jean Gray." She said, extending a hand, which was accepted by the blinking blond. "Won't you come in?" She invited, stepping out of the way. 

"Thank you." Ardelle said as she entered followed quickly by Rouge.

"So, you've been accepted into our school for the Gifted." Mrs. Gray stated. (A/N: Yes, it should be MRS, because in the movie she says, I quote, "… I married a good guy." So there!) "I suppose you'll need a schedule. What courses would you like to take for this semester?" She asked. 

"Uh, well… what's offered?" Ardelle asked. 

Mrs. Gray smiled politely. She walked over to a gray file cabinet and opened a drawer. She sifted through it for a few moments before finally pulling out a manila folder and tossing it onto the desk. Ardelle watched as a piece of paper and a pencil came floating towards her and rested themselves on the folder. "Fill out anything that looks like you'd want to take. You must have a Science, History or Geography of some sort, a Math course, and Literature. Anything else is optional." She explained as she closed the drawer and walked over. "Gym is only needed for students under junior year." She said as she pulled up a chair and took a seat. 

"Okay." Ardelle grasped the pencil and opened the book, flipping through the courses. She wrote down the classes that were mandatory first: 

Trigonometry Senior Literature Honors Physics European History AP 

"There." She said. Jean picked up the paper and looked at it. "These are difficult classes." She said. Ardelle nodded.

"When I went to school with non-mutant students I was in Honors literature and I was going to take European History either junior or senior year. And I like physics, so I thought it would be appropriate. I'm also better at things like Geometry then Algebra, so, I thought Trig would be better." She explained a little unsure.

"All right. Well, you know your strengths better then I do." Jean said as she slipped the paper back in front of Ardelle. "You can look through and see if there are any other classes you'd like to take, or that can be it, and you just focus on those four major ones." 

Ardelle nodded. She flipped through the rest of the packet, carefully reading the short description of each class was, and only wrote down two more.

Acting Studio Mechanics 

"I'm done." Ardelle said. Jean picked up the paper again and read over it. 

"Good." She said while nodding. She smiled when her eyes fell upon Ardelle's last pick. "My husband teaches Mechanics." She said. Ardelle gave a small smile. "All right. I'll type this up for you and give it to you at dinner, which will be at 6:30. I'm sure Rouge wouldn't mind escorting you?" Mrs. Gray looked to Rouge who was sitting cross-legged on Jean Gray's bed, elbows resting on her knees, her hands drooping down, and her jacket had slipped down a little from her shoulders. 

"No problem." She said, as though she was excited. "Are you done Elle?" She asked. Ardelle blinked, a little surprised at the nickname that had just popped out of Rouge's mouth. 

"Yeah, I'm finished." She said, standing, lifting the chair a little telepathically so that when her knees pushed it back it didn't scrape across the floor.

"Great! Let's roll." She said, jumping from the bed and walking over to Ardelle, she grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door. 

"Thanks Mrs. Gray!" Ardelle managed to get out before she was jerked from the room. 

* * *

"You can meet everyone now." Rouge said as they stopped in front of a door. "They're all pretty nice, and they'll accept you quickly. They did me anyway." She said, her knuckles once again rapping upon an oak door. 

"Who is it?" A voice came from the other side.

"Sponge." She said. Ardelle looked to Rouge with a questioning gleam in her eye that made Rouge giggle. "It's because of my mutant power, you know? I can soak up people's energy?" She explained. 

'Oh.' Ardelle's mouth formed, causing another light laugh to escape from Rouge, but it was covered up as shuffling occurred and the recognizable sliding sound of a chain lock being removed came through the door. 

"Come on in." A voice said as the door opened, and a face emerged. He was pretty pail, small gray bags were under his eyes and his dirty blond hair was slicked back away from his face. The door opened more and Rouge slipped under his arm, followed quickly by Ardelle. 

"Hey gang, this is Ardelle." Rouge introduced as soon as the blond boy had closed the door and slid the lock into place. 

"Hi." A brunet said, waving. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore blue bell-bottoms with a pink v-neck and a lighter pink underneath it. "I'm Kitty." She introduced herself. 

"Sarah." Another girl introduced herself. Her red hair was a lock of red frizzles, a black leather choker was around her neck, and she was decked in a deep, long sleeved purple shirt, covered with a black fish-net-like vest and black pants, decorated randomly with safety pins. 

"You all ready know Bobby." Rouge said as she walked over to him and sat next to him. He gave her a half smile and nodded his head towards Ardelle.

"Take a seat." The blond said behind Ardelle, who was still standing. She flinched a little, as she had forgotten he was there. When he saw her shoulders jerk he gave her a sly smile. "Pyro." He introduced himself, taking a step around her and replacing himself among the colorful assortment of pillows that littered the carpeted floor. 

"Nice to meet all of you." She said as she took Pyro's advice and sat down on a blue pillow, leaning against the wall. The room wasn't very big, it was large enough to fit them all, but they wouldn't be able to run around and be crazy in it if they wanted. 

"So, what's your power?" Sarah asked, her fingers tracing themselves along her choker. 

"We're not really sure, but we think that I can adapt to physic attacks and things like that." Ardelle tried to explain. Sarah's eyebrows lifted themselves at that. 

"Cool." She said. "I can harness rays of light and turn them into anything I want." 

"My powers let my change my structure, so I can go through anything I want. I wall, this pillow... you." Kitty said. Ardelle smiled at Kitty's tone. 

"What about you?" Ardelle asked Pyro. 

He clicked the lighter in his hand and turned it on. "I can manipulate fire." He said in a creepy tone. The fire slicked from his lighter to his hand where he formed into a ball. He looked at Ardelle (whose eyes were watching the fire with amazement) and closed his fist, extinguishing the flame. He clicked shut his zippo. 

"Cool." She said. They all grinned. 

* * *

A/N: I know, it was little short and nothing really happened, but it will in the next chapter! I swear it will! Just hang in there, it will get more interesting… I hope… Review if you please! I do like reviews! And when time goes on I will not be following Jean and Ororo to get Nightcrawler, I'm going to stick with the kids. Okay? Okay! Quel lome!

~Sephron


	3. Developing Powers

"Practice Practice Practice!" 

Ardelle sat at the dinner table along with all the new friends that had invited her to sit with them. Sarah sat next to a girl with black hair and red stripes going through it, although she wasn't dressed in the same manner as Sarah, she sure gave off a vibe that they were both alike. 

"Oh, Ardelle, this is my sister, Kiely." Sarah introduced when she noticed Ardelle looking back and forth from them. "She has basically the same power, only hers is over moonlight." 

Ardelle sent a small grin towards Kiely. "That's cool." She said, to which Kiely sent her back a half grin and then continued eating. 

"Oh!" Rouge dropped her fork, having it land on the plate with quite a loud clank, and started waving frantically at her open mouth. "Dang it Chris!" She said as she reached and grabbed Bobby's glass if milk and took several gulps.

"Hey!" Bobby said, shocked. He watched as Rouge drained half his glass. "Are you done?" He asked as she set it back down.

"I'm sorry Bobby, but –Chris! Don't ever do that again!" She shot a dagger glance at the boy, who was having a good laugh with John. Sarah hid a smile and shoved another piece of chicken into her mouth, and quickly covered it with her hand in order to prevent us from seeing the food in her mouth as she giggled. 

"That was classical Marie. Just classic. Oh, I wish we could have gotten that on tape." The boy called Chris said, taking the time to wipe a tear that had formed from his eye as he looked down to John, who was now sitting back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest still having a good chuckle.

"John and Chris are fire buddies." Kiely took the time to explain as she loaded her fork up with another leaf of lettuce. "Well, kinda. Chris can only make something hotter, where as John can control the fire." She shoved the salad into her mouth. "They could be quite a mean team if you think about it. Chris can make something so hot that it combusts, and then John could control it. They did that once." She set her fork down on her plate and took a sip of her water. 

"Did they? On what?" Ardelle asked, truly curious. Ardelle looked to John, who was watching her with an amused expression. 

"We were all out having a little picnic kind of thing and Chris decided it would be funny to set our blanket on fire. John controlled it from there and made it into a man. Of course the fire was spreading and Bobby had to put it out." Sarah piped in. 

"Yes, they're quite _annoying_ when they do things like that too." Rouge put in. The group had a few moments of giggles spread through them. 

They all became quiet when a shadow came behind Ardelle. She turned and looked to see Professor Gray standing behind her. "Ardelle, if I might speak with you before I leave?" She asked. Ardelle nodded silently and slid the chair back. She looked to the new friends she had made with a puzzled expression. They all watched as she left, just as confused as she. 

* * *

"Ardelle," Professor Gray started as she closed the large oak door to the room they had first met in. "What exactly is your power?" She asked. Ardelle blinked.

"Well, when someone uses a mental power—psychic power against me, I am somehow able to adapt to it, and keep it as though it were my own." Ardelle explained. 

"Interesting. And, what powers have you acquired so far?" She asked.

"Um, I can levitate some things, and I am able to look through someone's memories." She said. "I got the memories one from Professor X." She tried to hide a small smile that had been creeping up upon her as she spoke.

"Really?" Mrs. Gray inquired. "Well then, can you look through my memories then?" Ardelle shrugged, a little unsure on what the Professor was getting at. "Try it." She instructed.

Ardelle blinked, confused, but she concentrated as she was supposed to, and focused her mind on the red headed woman standing before her. Ardelle guided her mind in through the eyes of Jean Gray in front of her and let her mind travel through the folds of her brain, picking up several images through the way. The first was Jean, walking through a park on a rainy day, clouds overcast leaving no chance of sunshine. Second was Jean standing on a porch to a house—her house, as a large black plain came and landing before her cul-de-sac. Her hand rested on the blue pillar next to the steps used to hold up the roof of their porch. Her feet quickly made their way down the white stairs and across the street as she pulled a white knapsack on over her shoulder. Lastly there was Jean, standing in the hall of the school, looking over her new school schedule. From behind a hand reached out and tapped her shoulder. She turned quickly, and then smiled when she saw the brown-haired boy with red sunglasses looking at her. 

Another image began to show through, Jean putting on a black uniform with an X on the left shoulder, but the image failed and faded quickly. Ardelle's mind was violently forced back into her own body. "Ow!" She said, hand coming to grip her temple. A splitting headache came to, throbbing through her temples. 

"Nicely done Ardelle. I was actually surprised how quickly you began." She said. "But you weren't able to hold it for very long before I placed up my shield." She smiled.

"A shield?" Ardelle asked, lowering her hand, as her headache had managed to slow and diminish. 

"Yes, to prevent people from entering our thoughts. If you're correct about your power, you may be able to block me from entering your mind, just as I was able to you." Jean explained. "Care to try?" She asked. Ardelle nodded, becoming excited. Jean Gray lowered her head a little, concentrating through Ardelle's eyes.

Ardelle blinked rather unsure what she was going to do. She could feel Jean running through her head, miles a minute, much faster then she had been able to do to Mrs. Gray. She worked on building her wall, a see through wall that blocked Gray from entering her mind any closer. She could feel Jean becoming slower, her mind not buzzing through Ardelle's memories. 

__

'I don't want her in my head. These are **my** memories.' Ardelle thought to herself. She could feel the adrenaline start to build up in her mind. _'Get out Gray. **Get out!**'_ She finally screamed, and felt her mind lurch forward, shoving out Jean Gray so violently that the Professors head snapped back. 

Ardelle was panting from the excitement, and also a little anger. "That was very good Ardelle." Jean congratulated the blond across the room. "A very strong pulse came. It's just a shame that you built it up so slowly." 

"What did you see while in my mind?" Ardelle asked, subconsciously becoming afraid. 

"Many things. Usually you at school and talking with your friends—" Ardelle could feel the mouse running through her mind once again. She placed the wall up quickly as possible, rather then going brick upon brick she threw a boulder in the way. She harshly pitched her mind forward once again and threw out the Professor. 

"Much better done." Jean praised. Ardelle smiled. "I want you to learn something else. It's a shield." She said. Ardelle nodded, she was eager to learn something new. Something more then she all ready had. But what else could there have been? Telekinetic, memory searching, walls and shields… what else? "Pick up that pen on the table mentally, and throw it at me." 

"Are you sure?" Ardelle asked. The professor nodded. Ardelle focused on the black pen that sat over a piece of stripped paper on the same desk she had sat at before while filling out her classes. Making it levitate she threw it quickly to the red head across the room, aiming straight for Mrs. Gray's throat. 

Jean held up her hand quickly, and it looked as though the pen struck her hand, but a visible ripple in the air told Ardelle that it wasn't what happened. The pen bounced off and fell onto the floor. "Now, I'm going to do it to you, and I want you to place a shield up." Ardelle blinked, a little worried.

"What if I can't get it up in time?" She asked. 

"Don't worry. I'll stop it before it can hit you. Okay?" Jean clarified. Ardelle nodded. She knew the professor wouldn't let anything happen to her. Especially if she was the one that did it. She watched as Jean brought up the pen easily, and sent it firing through towards Ardelle's heart. 

It cut through the air quickly. _'Wait Ardelle. Wait for the right moment…'_ Ardelle instructed herself. She watched as the pen continued to approach her. _'Now!'_ She told herself. She began to raise her hand, but all too slowly. _'No…_' Ardelle continued to raise her hand. _'No!_'

Everything Mrs. Gray had told Ardelle about not letting her get injured flew from her mind. _'Oh god!'_ Ardelle thought. _'If the pen hits me it could go straight into my heart!'_ She frantically threw her mind out to stop the pen that was descending upon her quickly. It stopped suddenly, as thought it had smashed into a piece of glass. Ardelle was panting, terrified. 

"Nicely done Ardelle. Calm yourself. You stopped it." Mrs. Gray said, briskly walking over to the blond, who was frozen, small beads of sweat coming to on her forehead. Jean took Ardelle's face in her hands and look at her. "Are you all right?" She asked. Ardelle pried her eyes from the floor and looked into the serene, welcoming eyes before her. She forced herself to nod, her movement rigid and uncanny. 

"You did well." Jean said, waiting for Ardelle's breathing to slow. "Breath Ardelle. You're fine. Just relax." She instructed. Ardelle tried to listen, and her mind slowed, and the thoughts of what could have happened to her diminished. She looked to Jean Gray before her, calm and poise making itself within her. She could feel her muscles relax and her spine became less established. "Good."

A knocking on the door startled both the Professor and Ardelle. "Jean? It's nearly time to go. The Professor wants us to suit up." A voice called through.

"I'll be right down!" Jean called out. She turned to Ardelle. "We'll practice more when I get back, all right? Until then just wait for me. If you want to get more accustomed to the power don't work with the shield. I would concentrate more towards your telekinesis. All right?" Mrs. Gray suggested. Ardelle nodded. "Good girl." She stood and opened the door. "Come on." She said. Ardelle stood up and walked through the door. 

"Thank you Mrs. Gray." She said. 

"Get back to your friends. They're still in the cafeteria." Jean directed. 

"Thanks again!" Ardelle waved as she ran down the hall. She was still a little uncomfortable with what had happened only a few moments ago, but she was well enough. 

* * *

Ardelle found the kids enjoying their dessert. After they had all finished they made their way back up to the small room with all the pillows, where they spent more time and learned more about eachother.

"Okay, Sarah. When did you first discover your powers?" Chris asked. 

"Umm." She took time to think. "I believe that it was when some of the men came to get me and Keily. I used the suns energy to make a wall to prevent their bullets from coming and getting us." 

"Cool." Bobby nodded. "What about you Ardelle?" He looked to the girl holding her knees to her chest. 

"I… I don't actually remember." She blinked and shook her head with her brow furred. "I remember I was shopping one day ... There were policmen after that and they took me—" She cut herself off and placed a hand on her temple, a splitting headache had come to her.

'Just let me—' A male voice came to and said. The allyway was dark, the only thing there was a streetlight that would flicker every once in a while. The sky was overcast, clouds making themselves at home and blocking out the stars. The street was completely diserted, and only two windows of the appartment across the way shown light. A dreary rain had begun to fall upon the city. 'Get off me!' her voice rang out. 

"Ow." She flinched as the image faided. 

"What?" Rouge asked. "Is something wrong?"

Ardelle shook her head. "I—I don't really know." Ardelle admitted. "Do you guys know if Professor Gray has left yet?" She asked, looking to them.

"About a half hour ago." John said. Ardelle nodded as she looked to the ground and lowered her hand. 

"Do you want me to take you up to your room?" Rouge inquired. 

"No, I'm fine." Ardelle said. 

"Are you sure hun?" Sarah asked. Ardelle nodded. "What about you Bobby? When did you first discover?" She changed the subject. 

"We were out camping. My parents taken my brother and had gone to the nearest store to get the things we would need for dinner. It started to pour down rain, and the campsite next to us was struck by lightning. So, I wanted to help and I put the fire out by freezing it." He said. "The professor found me when we got back home. He came to pick me up in their jet, and I told my parents that it was a Collage Prep school." He explained. 

"Wow." John said. "I wish my parents were that easy." He clicked his lighter. Sarah looked to Rouge who shrugged. 

"Well, they're not really. But I'm sure the professor helped." Bobby said. 

A sudden knocking came to the door. "Hey, out of there kids. The Professor and I are leaving soon." A voice came through. '_Scott Summers. Cyclops.' _Ardelle thought to herself. His image swelled into her mind from when she had taken memories from both Jean Gray and Professor Xavier. 

"Yes sir." Chris said as he bagan to stand, followed quickly by the rest of the mutants in the room. "Guess we'd better get outa here." He said, and removed the chain lock. 

They all filed out of the room, saying good night to one another. "I'll show you to the room. You're sharing with me." Sarah said. 

"Thanks." Ardelle said easily, and was lead down the hallway to their sleeping dorm. 


End file.
